Exploitation of the elderly has always existed and only in the past few decades has it been recognized as an epidemic as more tragic stories surface into the spotlight. Today, exploitation of the elderly is a very prevalent problem wherein the perpetrators are usually family members, paid caregivers or in some cases unsuspecting strangers. Exploitation of the elderly does not discriminate from the rich, poor or color of your skin; anyone can be a victim. Adult Protective Services investigated 2,375 cases of exploitation in the Houston District, which serves Harris County and 12 surrounding areas, and of those 160 were validated cases. Exploitation cases can be very complicated to investigate as complex family dynamics are involved. Most elderly victims do not want to prosecute against their loved ones.

Some indicators of exploitation include but are not limited to:

• Unusual activity in bank account
• Caregiver’s name added to bank account
• Unpaid bills
• Unusual purchases on credit cards
• Suspicious loans taken out in older adult’s name

One story I can recall is about a 90 year old elderly woman who was befriended by a much younger man in his 30’s. Their so called “friendship” turned into romance and later marriage all within 6 months. Within a few months of the marriage he drained her bank account and subsequently, placed her in a nursing home. Her daughters indicated that she had saved her entire life so that she could receive 24 hour care in the home and not be placed in a facility.

Generally, the victim is not the one who discovers the exploitation but rather family members or banks who are flagging unusual and/or inconsistent activity on accounts. Most banks have a division dedicated to financial abuse and will file a report with Adult Protective Services for further investigation. Exploitation is not only monetary but includes personal items such as jewelry, tools and in some cases vehicles. In these instances the perpetrator is often the paid provider or family members.

Oprah Winfrey courageously revealed her story of child abuse to the world and as a result brought the subject to the forefront. Equally, the stories shared about elder abuse and exploitation by celebrities such as Mickey Rooney this too will give new spotlight to the hidden epidemic. The victimization of the elderly in our society is not a new phenomenon; however, with the new invasion of baby boomers coming into age, elder abuse and fraud will be more prevalent.

The Houston Independent School District Police Department has announced the winners of the third annual Police Appreciation Week art contest.

Fifth-grade artists were encouraged to showcase their talents with the department’s K-9 unit as the theme. Participants also explored other themes, including the importance of law enforcement and the different types of police officers.

Ceasar Bravo of Scroggins Elementary took first place with his depiction of a K-9 alongside his handler. A helicopter and patrol car are featured in the background of his drawing, done in colored pencils and markers.

“It took about four days,” said Ceasar, as his win was celebrated by classmates and officers from HISD, Metro and the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. “I liked coloring the K-9 the most.”

Ceasar and his classmates received a special delivery of pizza sponsored by Crime Stoppers of Houston. The students also had had the opportunity to ask officers questions and meet K-9 Bret from the sheriff’s office.

Scroggins Elementary art teacher Vanessa Deyoung said contests are a good way to give her students a feeling of accomplishment while showcasing their creative talents.

“It’s exciting,” Deyoung said. “It draws attention to how important the arts are.”

Each year, the contest winners’ names are released during Police Appreciation Week to help students visualize the work performed by police officers and teach them more about careers in law enforcement. Second- and third-place winners Lauran Morales and Jennifer Vasquez, both from Ketelsen Elementary, will also be treated to a pizza party and have a chance to meet with a K-9.

HISD Sgt. Mercedes Martinez-Lopez says she loves bringing her job into the classroom.

“What I enjoy most is interacting with the kids,” Martinez-Lopez said. “They don’t always get to see the positives that we do with this job, so it gives us an opportunity to set a positive image.”

Art Contest Winners:

Ceasar Bravo, Scroggins Elementary

Lauren Morales, Ketelsen Elementary

Jennifer Vasquez, Ketelsen Elementary

Vacation victory or vacation misery? Victory is what everyone is looking for in a vacation, though misery may be what you come across if you’re not careful when planning. Travel scams can be mentally and financially exhausting. While you thought you were booking a week trip on a cruise ship, you potentially just sent thousands of dollars to an unknown, unreliable “travel agency.” Don’t be the next victim!

If it sounds too good to be true, chances are… it is! Mailings, phone calls and travel “agents” who congratulate you for winning a free vacation on a highly rated island are more than likely running with your money if they get the chance. The emails or voicemails you receive stating you won a free trip usually means the wrong person got a hold of your contact information. Don’t fall for it.

There are so many beautiful travel destinations in the world and so many helpful websites and agents to assist in planning your trip. With that said, be cautious when choosing your website, travel agency, vacation package, or even discounted online rate. Make sure they are reputable and be mindful of the various scams and deceiving ads when researching your next trip.

Vacations come in many packages: rental homes, hotels, all-inclusive resorts, etc. When searching online for your destination, don’t be fooled by the photos. Double check the property on Google Earth and confirm the property actually exists. Read reviews to ensure people have in fact traveled there before and pay attention to what past visitors have said. Also, research the area around and outside of your rental property, hotel, time-share, etc. Be sure the area is safe and tourist friendly.

Once you have chosen your destination, there are several things to keep in mind before booking.

–Confirm all costs are included (resort fees, taxes, surcharges, processing fees, etc.). It is very common, especially out of the country, for resorts to have extremely high tax rates. Houston itself has a 17 percent hotel tax rate, which is pretty steep. Other places like the Dominican Republic have tax rates as high as 28 percent. This is something you’ll want to be aware of before booking.

–Read the cancellation policies beforehand and ensure you have travel insurance in case of an emergency.

–Double check the smoking/non-smoking areas on the property before picking your room.

–Read the fine print of all documentation to confirm the legitimacy of the management company, time share, travel agency, etc.

Overall, when planning your next vacation, be on the lookout for scams or things that just don’t seem right. Don’t jump to a price just because it sounds like a good deal. Get recommendations from friends and family and read the reviews online before committing. Fine print is never fun to read but it is definitely more fun than trying to recover your vacation funds from a scam.

Avoiding Travel Scams Quick Tips:

• Get recommendations
• Read through the fine print
• Don’t be fooled by photography
• Double check all fees and get something in writing before booking
• Use a travel app to search airfares and hotel rates. My personal favorite is Hopper!
• Pay by a credit card—it provides you with more protection than cash or check
• Get travel cancellation protection to ensure you can cancel and get your money back if needed

As we recognize and honor many other groups and individuals on a daily basis, it is equally important for us to recognize and thank those who dedicate their time every day in making a difference in our community. April is National Volunteer month dedicated to recognizing all of the kind people in our communities who volunteer their time. Approximately 62.6 million people volunteered in the United States in one year according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 62.6 million…that’s A LOT of volunteers!

Volunteering is freely partaking in a task which in turn helps others as an essential way to give back. Volunteers are defined as people who perform unpaid labor for an organization. Volunteering can be done almost anywhere. At schools, non-profit organizations, churches, office buildings, etc. Some people volunteer for service hours, some for experience and some just for a feel-good opportunity. This has become such a common extracurricular activity for so many in the United States as the U.S. volunteer rate was 24.9 percent in 2015. Whether you volunteer just one time or volunteer on a weekly basis, volunteering brings people together in a positive atmosphere all working towards one common goal, to give back.

Studies have also been done on volunteering in association with healthy lifestyles. One study shows that volunteering lowers mortality and depression rates in comparison to those who do not volunteer. Volunteers leave happy and feel as if they have a higher purpose. According to a 2015 article published by Harvard Health Publications, “volunteering has positive implications that go beyond mental health.” Volunteering provides better physical health, which includes lower blood pressure rates and a longer lifespan. These are all positives impacts that volunteering can make on people.

Here at Crime Stoppers of Houston we sincerely appreciate all of our volunteers. You all make a positive impact in our everyday jobs and for us to have Houstonians reaching out because they WANT to volunteer is such a blessing to our organization. We have several different volunteer opportunities that become available throughout the year that range from assisting at our annual events to assembling Child ID Kits for our schools. Volunteering for us or any organization is a great way to become involved in the community.

I encourage everyone to volunteer at some point down the road, it is a great way to get involved for all age groups. For younger generations, it is a great resume builder and for older generations, it is a great networking branch and way to give back!

If you’re interested in volunteering for our organization, please let us know!

Ahhhhhh – kids and animals. Does it get any better than experiencing the pure joy of watching them play together, exploring their world, looking at each other with nothing but love and fun mischief and just good ol’ happiness? I say you would be hard pressed to find anything more charming than that!

As adults, we are given many opportunities over a lifetime to shape the lives of children. Kids need to be taught so many things in order to become successful adults. There are, however, some things that simply cannot be taught. Children thrive on learning the joy of caring for a living being, understanding the peace that comes from offering selfless love, gentleness and compassion. And kids LOVE to laugh and play! One of the best ways to bring these character traits into the lives of kids is with a rescue animal…and there are plenty of animals in our area that need saving as much as our kids need them.

Adoption is always a possibility when it comes to helping an animal, but if you aren’t ready or able to adopt an animal, many shelters and rescues offer opportunities for children to read to the animals, while this can be done at any age. Depending on the child’s age and the shelter’s requirements, there are also other volunteer opportunities including walking the dogs, taking pictures, playing with the cats, etc. These animals need interaction with play and freedom from their cages, even just for a small amount of time. Kids are now also asking for animal donation items rather than birthday gifts at their parties. Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops have fundraisers. The possibilities are almost endless. So many animals in our area need help and by helping them, we are in turn helping our children by showing them how to look beyond themselves and care for others.

Teaching children to care for animals and show kindness towards them will help shape them into teens and adults who respect life and who will likely stand up for others and look for ways to make the world a better place.  Punishments for animal abuse are becoming stricter. The FBI now considers animal abuse a felony. Animal abuse statistics are staggering and it’s time we change that. We need to be vigilant and raise this generation to be kind and to spread that kindness as far as they can.

If you choose to adopt an animal, the responsibility you give the child in your life will vary depending on the age of the child and type of animal you choose to adopt. At any age, these kids will discover what is means to offer love to, and be trusted by, another living being and in return will nurture a level of responsibility and inner strength that will only develop over time. These character traits will stay with them and carry over into other aspects of life as they get older. That is a life lesson that money simply cannot buy.